Have you heard of Solomon Linda? I used to work in a pizza joint that played nothing but ‘60s songs, day and night. And though “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” came on over the speakers at least once during my workday, I had no idea of its complicated origin.

If, when you first wake up in the morning, before you even put your clothes on or get into the shower, you have to take a few sips of this liquid black gold, you might be aware of the dangers of addiction.

I live in Harlem. Not sure if I brag about that enough. But I can’t help it really. This place is the home, the heart, of one of the greatest movements in American history, The Harlem Renaissance, then called “New Negro Movement”.

One of the first actresses to break ground in film, TV, and stage, looked white. If that isn’t irony enough, she wished she looked black, so that she could take on more roles that suited who she was, ethnically.

Diamonds are everyone’s best friend. From rappers, to brides, to just the guy down the street. Gold, platinum, rubies…whatever you have to dig from the earth in order to sell, these are things that go for ridiculous prices in auction houses across the world.

28 Days of Black Excellence An ongoing series for the entire 28 days of Black History Month that showcases the inventions, the people, and culture that makes people of the African diaspora so excellent. Rarely do we give credence to the people who first helped us feel safe. And that happens in a society

28 Days of Black Excellence An ongoing series for the entire 28 days of Black History Month that showcases the inventions, the people, and culture that makes people of the African diaspora so excellent. Benjamin Banneker was born on November 9, 1731, in Ellicott's Mills, Maryland. A free black man who owned a farm near

28 Days of Black Excellence An ongoing series for the entire 28 days of Black History Month that showcases the inventions, the people, and culture that makes people of the African diaspora so excellent. Dr. Henry Highland Garnet was a foremost anti-slavery organizer. During his lifetime, the doctor was known as the “American Moses.” Why

28 Days of Black Excellence An ongoing series for the entire 28 days of Black History Month that showcases the inventions, the people, and culture that makes people of the African diaspora so excellent. The story of Fort Mose′ (pronounced Moh-Say) sounds like fiction. Slaves, freed by the Spanish some 200 years before the Emancipation

28 Days of Black Excellence An ongoing series for the entire 28 days of Black History Month that showcases the inventions, the people, and culture that makes people of the African diaspora so excellent. Ever wondered where we come from? Would you believe the DNA of our current civilizations, the genesis of every woman, man,

28 Days of Black Excellence An ongoing series for the entire 28 days of Black History Month that showcases the inventions, the people, and culture that makes people of the African diaspora so excellent. This shouldn’t be a spoiler warning, because nearly the entire world has seen “Black Panther,” so…in that opening scene, when Killmonger

28 Days of Black Excellence An ongoing series for the entire 28 days of Black History Month that showcases the inventions, the people, and culture that makes people of the African diaspora so excellent. "They Call Me Mister Tibbs!" One of the most famous lines from one of the most famous films (a film he

Some may look at “Rapper’s Delight” and the Sugarhill Gang as the origin of Hip Hop. Many won’t even know who they are. But if you grew up during the Golden Age of Hip Hop, you’re one of the lucky ones…

For the final day of Black Excellence, I chose my father. It may sound sappy, but he helped give me the enthusiasm and appreciation for art, in all its forms, and a pride in myself, something that I think most people would love to have gotten from their fathers

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Black Excellence

BlackExcellence.com is a platform to shed light on noteworthy stories and achievements in the black community in the U.S. and around the world. We always strive to feature inspirational, helpful, and thought provoking pieces in business, entertainment, community, politics, lifestyle, and more.